Pro 6:27-28 | KingComments | STEP | The first warning for the wicked, unknown woman concerns the heart of the young man ( ), for from it [flow] the springs of life” ( ). In the heart, temptation is born ( ). He must not allow lust to take root in his heart because of that woman’s beauty. Immoral actions begin with a covetous look ( ). As soon as such desire wants to rear its head, it must be judged immediately. Whoever harbors lust sins and commits the act of adultery ( ). Therefore, he should not look at her eyes, for they act like ropes by which he can be bound. For committing the sin of adultery a high price must be paid ( ). It brings to the deepest poverty, “a loaf of bread”, and even to death: his “precious life” is hunted. There are two kinds of wicked women here. There is “a woman who is a harlot”, that is someone who offers her depraved ‘services’ for the sake of money. Those who get involved with her are impoverished by it. There is also an “adulteress”. She is bored with her husband and seeks someone else for sexual satisfaction. Getting involved with her is even more dangerous than getting involved with a harlot, because whoever gets involved with her is no longer sure of his life. He is completely in her power. In addition, the jealous husband will hunt down his “precious life” to kill him. The woman will hand him over to her jealous husband with a brazen face (cf. ). The foreign woman is to be shunned like fire ( ). The clothes of whoever does engage with her will catch fire ( ). Applied, this means that the behavior of the fornicator and adulterer, his prestige and dignity, of which the clothes speak, becomes contemptible ( ). There is not only a ‘burning smell’ about him, which sometimes seems so for a moment, but his whole conduct and dignity are gone. He becomes despised. A person will not be so foolish as to walk on hot coals and then think that his feet will not be scorched ( ). ‘Walking’ indicates a repeated occurrence; it does not refer to something that happens incidentally. It refers to ongoing sexual contact, to someone who is a fornicator. It is impossible to do such a thing without damaging oneself. The father applies this to what happens when his son gets involved with the wife of another man. He must then bear the consequences. There is no escaping this. They are the “natural laws” of fornication. At the end, destruction awaits. In , the father gives the conclusion. Going to the wife of his neighbor has the meaning of having sexual intercourse with her. Touching her has the same meaning. One who is so intimate with another’s wife, one who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, will not go unpunished. The punishment for the adulterer is inevitable.

‏ Proverbs 6:27-28

Do Not Take Fire in Your Bosom

The first warning for the wicked, unknown woman concerns the heart of the young man (Pro 6:25), for from it [flow] the springs of life” (Pro 4:23). In the heart, temptation is born (Jam 1:14-15). He must not allow lust to take root in his heart because of that woman’s beauty. Immoral actions begin with a covetous look (2Sam 11:2 ; 2Sam 13:1-14).

As soon as such desire wants to rear its head, it must be judged immediately. Whoever harbors lust sins and commits the act of adultery (Mt 5:28). Therefore, he should not look at her eyes, for they act like ropes by which he can be bound. For committing the sin of adultery a high price must be paid (Pro 6:26). It brings to the deepest poverty, “a loaf of bread”, and even to death: his “precious life” is hunted.

There are two kinds of wicked women here. There is “a woman who is a harlot”, that is someone who offers her depraved ‘services’ for the sake of money. Those who get involved with her are impoverished by it. There is also an “adulteress”. She is bored with her husband and seeks someone else for sexual satisfaction. Getting involved with her is even more dangerous than getting involved with a harlot, because whoever gets involved with her is no longer sure of his life. He is completely in her power. In addition, the jealous husband will hunt down his “precious life” to kill him. The woman will hand him over to her jealous husband with a brazen face (cf. Gen 39:16-20).

The foreign woman is to be shunned like fire (Pro 6:27-28). The clothes of whoever does engage with her will catch fire (Pro 6:27). Applied, this means that the behavior of the fornicator and adulterer, his prestige and dignity, of which the clothes speak, becomes contemptible (Gen 38:13-18). There is not only a ‘burning smell’ about him, which sometimes seems so for a moment, but his whole conduct and dignity are gone. He becomes despised.

A person will not be so foolish as to walk on hot coals and then think that his feet will not be scorched (Pro 6:28). ‘Walking’ indicates a repeated occurrence; it does not refer to something that happens incidentally. It refers to ongoing sexual contact, to someone who is a fornicator. It is impossible to do such a thing without damaging oneself. The father applies this to what happens when his son gets involved with the wife of another man. He must then bear the consequences. There is no escaping this. They are the “natural laws” of fornication. At the end, destruction awaits.

In Pro 6:29, the father gives the conclusion. Going to the wife of his neighbor has the meaning of having sexual intercourse with her. Touching her has the same meaning. One who is so intimate with another’s wife, one who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, will not go unpunished. The punishment for the adulterer is inevitable.